With only days remaining before the start of the fall sports season on Aug. 19, it’s crunch time for the Lynnfield High boys soccer team.
The Pioneers are coming off an unprecedented season, one in which they finished 19-2-2 and captured their first state championship in program history.
What do they need to do to repeat?
“The message to the kids is that obviously everything went really well last year, but this is another year so we basically have to start all over again,” said coach Brent Munroe, the 2023 Cape Ann League and Daily Item Coach of the Year. “The kids were very driven last year. To be honest, they were more focused and motivated than any other team I’ve ever had in Lynnfield. For us to have another year like we had last year, they will need to keep up that drive, which isn’t easy. Everybody knows who we are and when you win a state title, everyone is gunning for you, so it’s all the more important to keep the drive and focus at the highest possible level.”
Seniors Dillon Reilly and Charlie Morgan return as captains. Reilly led the offense last year with 27 goals and 12 assists, despite missing four regular season games. The CAL and Item Player of the Year, Reilly was at his best in the playoffs, scoring seven of the Pioneers’ eight goals, including the game-winner in the final.
CAL All-Stars Morgan, an outside back, and CAL All-League center back Chris Calnan, a senior, were rock solid in the backfield. Along with returning senior goaltender and Item All-Star Kelan Cardinal, the duo led a defensive unit that featured one of the stingiest defenses in the state – one that allowed just two goals in the Division 4 tournament.
The bad news for the Pioneers is they must find a way to replace the loss of five players who played key roles last year.
Munroe said the biggest shoes to fill are those of senior captain Dhimitri Dono.
“He was that one player who was most prominent on the field as defensive center mid,” Munroe said. “We’ll miss him a lot in that spot. Not to say we won’t miss the other four seniors who graduated because they will all be missed a ton.”
On the flip side, Munroe said that while the defense will need to be reconfigured, the midfield is strong with “a ton” of returning starters, a group that includes senior outside midfielder Joel Anthony, junior center midfielder Rocco Scenna, along with senior outsider midfielder Matt Reinhold and senior midfielder and spot starter, Tyler Maddocks.
“We also have a bunch of guys who came in off the bench and it remains to see what roles they may play,” Munroe said.
As they did last year, the Pioneers put their skills to the test in summer league. Munroe said a couple of non-starters have impressed, including sophomore forward/midfielder Brendan Reilly and junior midfielder/defender Mohamed Ayerri.
“They’ve both had very good summers,” Munroe said.
For a second straight year, the Pioneers also participated in the Northeast New England Champions Cup in Yarmouth, Maine in July. They finished 1-2 and just missed out on advancing to the championship bracket.
“That’s a good test for us,” Munroe said. “We were lucky to get invited last year and it helped out tremendously in that it is an extremely competitive tournament. We learned that we could do well against some very good teams. I’m hoping we have the same effect this year. I never really like the end of the summer, but I am excited to get started next week.”
Munroe expects the CAL will, once again, be “very, very strong,” starting with Newburyport and North Reading.
“Newburyport is young but very good, and North Reading looks to have another very good team again,” he said. “Both teams have legitimate chances to win state titles. Rockport and Manchester-Essex also will be good. Hamilton-Wenham will also be strong. I think all of us will do very well in the tournament.”
The Pioneers open the season at Triton on Sept. 3. Before that, they’ll tune up with scrimmages against Division 1 powerhouse St. John’s Prep (Aug. 23), Division 3 Swampscott (Aug. 27), Division 2 Marblehead (Aug. 29) and Wilmington (Aug. 31).
The Pioneers’ non league schedule includes non-league tilts against St. Mary’s (Lynn) on the road Sept. 21 and former CAL rival Masconomet at home on Sept. 23.
“Last year, we came out of those two games with a loss and tie,” Munroe said. “But they are both very good teams, which should be good tests for us again this year.”
